Woodland police are reporting that someone used the “Grandparent Scam” to get as much as $14,000 from an elderly resident.

According to Sgt. Darren Imus, the incident was reported on Wednesday, March 7, but occurred in January.

“The victim stated that in late January she received a phone call from a subject claiming to be her grandson,” Imus reported. “The ”grandson” told the victim he had been arrested in Canada following a car accident and needed money wired to him right away to pay for vehicle repairs. The victim, believing her grandson was actually in trouble, wired close to a thousand dollars to the suspect in Canada.”

Over the course of the next few weeks the unidentified woman received several subsequent phone calls from the same person as well as a second person who claimed to be her grandson”s attorney.

“Both suspects requested additional money be wired to them to cover a lawsuit that stemmed from the collision,” Imus reported.

The victim sent several wire transfers to the suspects totaling over $14,000.

Unfortunately, the investigation revealed that the elderly woman had fallen victim to a scam that has been circulating around the country for years known as the ”Grandparent Scam,”” Imus reported.

The Woodland Police Department investigates several of these reports each year.

The “Grandparent Scam” has several variations, but at its core, the scenario is the same, Imus recounted.

Here”s what Imus reported on the scam and how it”s used:

A scammer contacts an elderly person and claims to be a grandchild who needs cash because of a recent automobile accident, hospitalization, arrest, or other unfortunate event. The scammer often states that they are allowed only that one phone call. The elderly person is asked to wire, overnight mail, or courier money immediately and to keep the call a secret from other family members to reduce embarrassment. The scammer pockets the money and disappears.

To counter the scam, Imus says people should be alert and take the following action:

n Verify the caller”s identity by asking personal questions that a stranger could not answer.

n Resist the pressure to act immediately.

n Call someone you know and trust to help verify the story.

n If you can”t verify the story, call your local police on the non-emergency line to help you sort things out.

n Avoid sending money by immediate overnight service. The scammer will have your money before you realize that you have been cheated.